Multiple-pass crushing device

ABSTRACT

A multiple-pass crushing device for continuously compacting debris comprises a housing containing a reciprocable crushing member. The crushing member and housing together form a steadily narrowing vertical crushing chamber arranged so that the articles to be compacted gradually advance downward by gravity toward the narrower portion of the chamber as they are progressively compressed. In addition, the device is provided with a gate directly below the crushing member for preventing the crushed material from exiting the chamber until it has been compressed to a predetermined size.

United States Patent [191 Baker MULTIPLE-PASS CRUSHING DEVICE Inventor:Victor E. Baker, Coos Bay, Oreg .o

Assignw i a Ba r 9... 32y129 Filed: June 28, 1972 Appl. No.: 267,119

11.8. C1. 100/218, l00/D1G. 2, 100/233, 24l/265, 241/267 Int. Cl B30b15/32, B30b 9/32 Field of Search IOO/DIG. 2, 233, 100/218; 241/99, 198R, 199.8, 265, 267, 79, DIG. 17

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Dixon et al. 241/265 Oct. 9, 19732,920,554 l/1960 Bunke loo/DIG. 2 1,967,240 7/1934 Guest..... loo/DIG. 2

2,949,078 8/1960 Reed l00/DIG. 2

Primary Examiner-Billy J. Wilhite Attorney-Daniel P. Chernoff et al.

ABSTRACT 4 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures |e I 2 0 Q 22 221 34 l 3e 40 36 4 II 25 t l h ll 44 IOQ MULTIPLE-PASS CRUSHING DEVICE BACKGROUND OF THEINVENTION The invention relates to a multiple-pass crushing device whichcomprises a housing containing a reciprocating crushing member whichcontinuously compresses debris to a predetermined size. Various devicesfor crushing cans and like articles are known to the prior art. U.S.Pat. Nos. 2,949,078 to Reed, 2,920,554 to Bunke, 2,962,958 to Sholin,and 3,1 38,090 to Morehead describe crushing machines which include amovable crushing member. The Reed and Bunke patents each provide a jawwhich oscillates in a rectangular crushing and chewing motion while thecrushing plates of Sholin and Morehead are pivotally attached at thelower end and reciprocated at their upper end. Since these devices donot provide a sufficient amplitude of movement at their lower end,jamming of the mechanism by the crushed articles is likely to be aproblem. In addition, none of these devices provides a means forpreventing compressed material of varying and uncontrolled size to exitthe housing as the member moves between the retracted and extendedpositions. In Jennings U.S. Pat. No. 2,737,995 a restricted passagewayallows only a can of predetermined size to exit from the housing.However, the apparatus of Jennings is designed for single pass crushing,the use of a tapered crushing chamber for gradually feeding the articlestoward the narrow end is not suggested and, in fact, the lower portionof the crushing chamber is .merely a housing for the system and not atrue gating member. Accordingly, a need exists for an improvedmultiplepass crushing apparatus for continuously and uninterruptinglycompressing debris which produces a compacted product having apredetermined maximum size.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is directed to a noveland improved multiple-pass crushing device which comprises a housingincluding a stationary wall acting as an anvil and a movable crushingmember for continuously compacting debris, such as cans and other likearticles, fed to the device. The movable member is pivotally attached atits upper end to the housing and is reciprocated about its upper pivotpoint by a rod attached to the lower end of the member, the rod in turnbeing reciprocated by an eccentric journal drive assembly powered by amotor. The stationary and movable portions together define a graduallynarrowing crushing chamber having, at the lower end, an opening ofpredetermined size. A gate located between the crushing member and thehousing wall forms an exit passageway through which the compressedmaterial exits the crushing chamber.

The novel constructional features of the multiplepass crushing systemprovides several important operational advantages. First, the movementof the reciprocating crushing member about the upper pivot point impartsa large displacement amplitude to the movable member at the lower end ofthe crushing chamber and thereby prevents jamming of the mechanism bydebris located within the crushing chamber. Secondly, the use of agating member prevents the passage of compacted material from thehousing until it has been crushed to not more than a predetermined size.

It is therefore a principal objective of the present invention toprovide a new and improved multiple-pass continuous flow crushingdevice.

It is a further objective of the present invention to provide a crushingdevice having a means for insuring the production of compacted debris ofa predetermined maximum size.

The foregoing objectives, features and advantages of the presentinvention will be more readily understood upon consideration of thefollowing detailed description of the invention taken in conjunctionwith the accompanying drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a top plan view of themultiple pass-crushing device of this invention.

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the crushing device shown in FIG.1.

FIG. 3 is a partially-sectional end view, taken along line 3-3 of FIG.2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to thedrawings, a platform, generally designated as 10, includes a horizontalsupport frame and a plurality of legs 10b which supports the entiredevice above floor level. A housing, generally designated as 11,includes a front elongated wall 12 connected to a pair of adjacentelongated side walls, 14 and 16, the respective front and side wallsbeing supported .by platform [10. Connected between the rear, upperportion of the respective side walls 14 and 16 of the housing is ahorizontal bracing member 18. A second bracing member 20, in the form ofa pivot bar, interconnects the upper edge of the side walls at a pointintermediate to front wall 12 and rear bracing member 18.

Referring now particularly to FIG. 3, a crushing member, generallydesignated as 22, depends from pivot bar 20 and includes an inclinedupper portion 22a extending downward from the pivot bar towards frontwall 12, and a lower portion 22b which, when the crushing member is inthe extended position shown, is parallel to front wall 12. Crushingmember 22 and front wall 12 together form a multiple-pass crushingchamber 22 for compressing cans and similar debris fed into the open topof the housing. A plate 24 is attached to the rear of the crushingmember 22 for structural reinforcement purposes. Positioned immediatelybelow crushing member 22 and connected to side walls 14 and 16 is a gate25. Preferably, the gate is adjustable in a forward or backwarddirection with respect to front wall 12 of the housing so that the exitpassageway 23b formed thereby, which is indicated as x, can be madelarger or smaller as desired. Adjustability can be accomplished byemploying, for example, a rack and pinion gear assembly 44 or any othersuitable adjustment means. Formed between front wall 12 and crushingmember 22, when the latter is in the extended position, is a clearanceopening 23a and it is preferred that this opening be equal to or lessthan the size x of the exit passageway 23b.

Crushing member 22 is reciprocated by an eccentric drive assembly,generally designated as 26, which is mounted on platform 10 andcomprises an electric motor 27 powering a worm drive assembly 28. The

worm drive assembly operates a drive shaft 30, engaging a pair ofbearing assemblies 32, which in turn rotate an eccentric 34. A rod 38,journaled at point 36 to eccentric 34, is pivotally attached by a boltand nut assembly 40 to a pair of connecting plates 42 formed in thelower rear portion of crushing plate 22.

In operation, debris is fed either continuously or intermittently intothe open top of the crushing chamber 23. Activation of the eccentricdrive assembly 26 reciprocates crushing plate 20 in an arcuate pathbetween respective extended and retracted positions. The crushing memberis reciprocated at a typical rate of approximately 1 cycle per second,each stroke tending to crush the debris located within the chamber and,as the debris becomes more compressed, it drops further and further downwithin the chamber 23 until it becomes compressed to not more than apredetermined size set by the distance x. As the crushing plate movesrearwardly to a retracted position, the clearance between the lowercrushing member portion 22b and the front wall 12 of the housing becomesgreater than the predetermined distance x. However, because of thepresence of gate 25, debris is retained within the chamber until it iscompressed to the desired predetermined dimension. After the compacteddebris leaves the crushing chamber, it can be collected in anyconvenient receptacle located thereunder.

The terms and expressions which have been employed in the foregoingabstract and specification are used therein as terms of description andnot of limitation and there is no intention, in the use of such termsand expressions, of excluding equivalents of the features shown anddescribed or portions thereof, it being recognized that the scope of theinvention is defined and limited only by the claims which follow.

What is claimed is:

l. A multiple-pass crushing apparatus for compacting debris whichcomprises:

a. a housing with an opening at the top thereof for receiving debris tobe compacted;

b. a movable crushing member pivotally dependent from the upper end ofsaid housing for continuously compressing said debris within a crushingchamber formed between said respective crushing member and housing;

c. means attached to the lower end of said crushing member forreciprocating said member between respective extended and retractedposition; and

d. a gate connected to said housing immediately below said crushingmember for permitting only a pre-determined size of debris to exit saidhousing.

2. The crushing apparatus of claim 1 wherein said housing comprises afront wall connected to a pair of respective adjacent side walls; apivot member connecting the upper edges of said respective side wallsfor depending said crushing member therefrom; said crushing member andsaid front wall forming a crushing chamber of decreasing size from topto bottom of said housing; and said reciprocating means includes aneccentric drive assembly coupled to one end of a rod, the other end ofsaid rod being pivotally attached to the lower end of said crushingmember for reciprocating same in an arcuate path between said respectiveextended and retracted positions.

3. The crushing apparatus of claim 1 wherein the clearance between thelower end of said respective crushing member at the extended positionand said front wall of said housing is not more than the opening formedby said gate.

4. The crushing apparatus of claim 1 which is further characterized inthat the position of said gate is adjustable with respect to said frontwall for providing passageways of varying size for debris.

1. A multiple-pass crushing apparatus for compacting debris whichcomprises: a. a housing with an opening at the top thereof for receivingdebris to be compacted; b. a movable crushing member pivotally dependentfrom the upper end of said housing for continuously compressing saiddebris within a crushing chamber formed between said respective crushingmember and housing; c. means attached to the lower end of said crushingmember for reciprocating said member between respective extended andretracted positions; and d. a gate connected to said housing immediatelybelow said crushing member for permitting only a pre-determined size ofdebris to exit said housing.
 2. The crushing apparatus of claim 1wherein said housing comprises a front wall connected to a pair ofrespective adjacent side walls; a pivot member connecting the upperedges of said respective side walls for depending said crushing membertherefrom; said crushing member and said front wall forming a crushingchamber of decreasing size from top to bottom of said housing; and saidreciprocating means includes an eccentric drive assembly coupled to oneend of a rod, the other end of said rod being pivotally attached to thelower end of said crushing member for reciprocating same in an arcuatepath between said respective extended and retracted positions.
 3. Thecrushing apparatus of claim 1 wherein the clearance between the lowerend of said respective crushing member at the extended position and saidfront wall of said housing is not more than the opening formed by saidgate.
 4. The crushing apparatus of claim 1 which is furthercharacterized in that the position of said gate is adjustable withrespect to said front wall for providing passageways of varying size fordebris.